Description

In The Secrets of Alchemy Lawrence M Principe one of the worlds leading authorities on the subject brings alchemy out of the shadows and restores it to its important place in human history and culture By surveying what alchemy was and how it began developed and overlapped with a range of ideas and pursuits Principe illuminates the practice He vividly depicts the place of alchemy during its heyday in early modern Europe and then explores how alchemy has fit into wider views of the cosmos and humanity touching on its enduring place in literature fine art theater and religion as well as its recent acceptance as a serious subject of study for historians of science In addition he introduces the listener to some of the most fascinating alchemists such as Zosimos and Basil Valentine whose lives dot alchemys long reign from the third century and to the present day Through his exploration of alchemists and their times Principe pieces together closely guarded clues from obscure and fragmented texts to reveal alchemys secrets andmost exciting for budding alchemistsuses them to recreate many of the most famous recipes in his lab including those for the glass of antimony and philosophers tree This unique approach brings the listener closer to the actual work of alchemy than any other book